Gravity drop-door.



PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

J. M. GDGDWIfi.

GRAVITY DROP DOOR APYLIUATIOH rum) APB. 20, mos. Rnnnwnn run. 5. mos.

lnentor ttys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MARSTON GOODWIN, QF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

GRAVITY DROP-DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. March 13, 1906.

Application filed April (1905. Renewed February 5,1906. Serial No. 299,511.

tursl formation of a valvecor for use in dumping apparatus-suoh as is showmior" example, in Patent No. 678,657, granted to me July 16, 1901-the object of the invention being the production of s valve-door having superior qualities of rigidity and resistence against shock and strain combined with festures of simplicity, economy, and iightness of weight, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings, forming a psrthereo Figure 1 is a. vertical transverse sectional view through a valve door embodying my invention and also so much of the adjacent portions of the receptacle with which said door is used as is necessary to illustrate the relation of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a. longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the door, showing several of the united sections or components thereof, the said view being taken on iine 3 3 of Fig. 4 and in the direction of the arrows 2 2. Fig. 3 is a similar view on the same line in the direction of the arrows 3 3. Fig. 4 is a half bottom and half top plan view of the vaLvc-door, showing a; portion of the hinge mechanism; and Fig. 5 is a. plan of the sheetmetal blsnlr from which the individual secand J is a. shaft extending longitudinally of' the receptacle which provides a pivotal axis for the two center dumping-valves A A. The

letter are adapted to be supported in the po sition shown in the drawings by means of the detents C, which, however, are capable of on twerd rotation, so as to permit the said center valves to drop to 2. lower position, as is fully disclosed in my said prior patent above re ferred to. which ccnstitutes the rumor portion of the The valve or gravity drop-door,

bottom of the receptacle, is represented generslly by the reference character G and is pivotelly supported at one side from the girder H by means of binge mechanism B, while its other or free side is adapted to be supported by resting upon the proximate edge of the center vslve A. The said hinge mechanism coin )I'lSBS a longitudinal shaft 1, located beycn the upper edge of the vaiverdoor G and journuled to rock in brackets 2. A number of hinge arms or links 3 are carried on the said shaft, which have or upper edge of the valve-door. The brackets 2 may be fastened to the girder H in any ivotel connection with the flanges. of the ve ve-door by means of hinge-pins 4, located inward of the margin" suitable manner and are preferably disposed beneetli the inclined plate or member 5, so that the door G may close upwardly against the lower edge of the same, as shown in Fig. 1. When the vaiveA is tripped by the re moval of its detent C, the door G, acted upon by the mess of the load resting upon it, swings first on the axis of the shaft 1 'and then on that of the pivotal connection 4, thereby aillowing the contents of the receptacle to es cape; but when held b the valve A, as shown in the drawings, t e upper ortion of the valve -door braces against t e hingearms 3'with a locking eiiect, so that there is no tendency for pivotal motion at the axis of 4, strain at this point being resolved in en outward direction, and the closed condition of the valve-door is thus maintained solely by the supporting effect of the 'detent means A.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 5, the valvedoor G is formed of a. plurality of sheet-metal sections united to form a unitary structure with the flange-joints between them disposed transversely to the longitudinal dimension of the door and also transversely to the pivotal side of the hinge mechanism. The individual sections are formed from rectangular blanks, like that indicated in Fig. 5, wherein the body portion 6 of each section is substanmo tislly fist and the side edges thereof are bent downlv'c rdly to form downturned side flanges 2' 7i The lower margins of these flanges are shen bent iniverdly to constitute auxiliary flanges 8 8. Apertu'res 9 are formed in the :05

side flanges 7 to receive the hin epins 4, csrried by the links 3, above referred to, and these apertures may be and preferably are formed in cars 10 18 on the flanges 7 7, which ears depend below the flanges a distance 118 about equal to the width of the auxiliary flanges 8, as will be observed from an examination of the blank shown in Fig. 5. The ends of the side flanges 7 7 are bent or pressed 5 inwardly at ri ht angles therewith to form tabs 11 11 at t 1e free end of the section and likewise the tabs 12 12 and 13 13 at the hinge ends of the sections, the tabs 12 being preferably bent at an angle, as shown in Fig. 5, and the tabs 13 being turned inwardly substantially the same as the auxiliary flanges 8. It will be observed that by the above-described method of folding and shaping a rectangular blank the body portion 6 is caused to extend I over the ends of its flan eand substantially all of the metal is utilizer in the production of a rigid section, and there is no appreciable waste of material in so doing, it being understood that the apertures for the hinge-pins and rivets are preferably made before the blank is bent. The several sections thus made are placed side by side with their side flanges 7 respectively adjacent and )referably contiguous, in which positions tl iey are joined together by means of two longitudinal c eat members 14 and 15, secured to them at their opposite ends. The cleat 14 is shown herein as an angle-bar havin two flanges at an obtuse angle to each ot 161, the upper flange bein secured by rivets to the inturned tabs 12 an the lower flange being similarly secured underneath the door to the tabs 13. This fla e of the angle-bar is in this manner so locate that it rovides a continuous bear- -surface for t e valve door a ainst the li h lrs 3 when the said door is in its clbsed posi tion, and thereby cooperates with the pivotal connections 4 for su porting the hinged side of the door, as alrea y described. The other 40 cleat member 15 is shown herein as a i-bar, having its web secured to the inturned tabs 11 11, with its up er flange adjacent to that portion of the bo y 6 which extends beyond the tabs 11 and with its lower flange ad 'acent to the lower faces of the auxiliary side anges 8 8. The flanges of the Z-bar are preferabl riveted to the portions of the sections which are adjacent to them, the rivets of the upper member being countersunk at least at their lower ends, so as to produce a continuous bearing-surface for the side of the valve-door against the edge of the detent means A. The side flan es 7 of the several sections are also preferabfy united by a number of rivets, as shown in Fig. 1. As thus united the hingegin apertures 9 in each pair of adjacent side anges are brought into re istry, and the hinge links 3, which are a so arranged in pairs, respectively embrace adjacent flanges, with their hinge-pins 4 passing through the apertures.

It will be understood that the proportions of the sections and the cleat members, as well as of the hinge-links, may be altered and modified to suit special requirements. In

such cases as where the hinge-pin apertures are provided in the flanges as distinguished from the projecting ears the hin e-links will naturally require to be so forme as to form an a 'ipropriate pivotal support for the side doors, as above described.

Various other modifications may also be made and are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is-

1. A structural valve-door for dum ingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of s ectmetal sections having downturned side flanges and united to form a unitary structure, hinge mechanism for supportim one side of said structure having its pivotal axis transverse to the flanges thereof and removable mcans for supporting the opposite side of said structure.

2. A structural valve door for dum ingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of s ieetmetal sections having downturned side flanges and ion itudinal cleats secured to the opposite ends ol said sections, in combination with hinge mechanism adapted to su port one side of said door having its pivotal axis transverse to the flan es thereof and removable detent means a apted to support the opposite side of said door.

3. A structural valve-door for dum ingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of s eetmetal sections having downturned side flanges, hinge mechanism with its axis transverse to sai flanges, adapted to support one side of said door, and a longitudinal cleat joining the opposite ends of the said sections and forming a continuous bearin -surface for the free edge of the door, in com ination with removable detent means for supporting the said free ed e.

4. A structura valve-door for dumpingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of flanged sheet-metal sections united by their adjacent flanges to form a unitary structure, cleats respectively secured to the opposite ends of said sections and a hinged support for said door having its pivotal axis transverse to the flange-joints.

5. A structural valve-door for dumpingvehicles, comprising a lurality of sheet-metal sections formed with ownturned side flanges and longitudinal cleats uniting said sections to form a unitary structure, in combination with hinge mechanism for said structure connected with the side flanges thereof and 7 means for supporting the free ends of said sections.

6. A structural valve-door for dum ingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of s eetmetal sections formed with downturned side flanges and longitudinal cleats uniting said sections to form a rigid unitary structure, in combination with hinge-links pivotally joined at their ends respectively to said flanges and to a part supported by the receptacle beyond the ends of said sections, and means for removably supporting the opposite ends of said sections.

7. A structural valve -door for dumpingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of united sheet-metal sections respectively formed with body ortions and downturned side flanges, and iinge mechanism for connecting said door with the receptacle, in combination with said body Jortions extended beyond the free ends of the side flanges and a longitudinal cleat secured to the free ends of said flanges adjacent to said extended body portions.

8. A structural valve door for dumpingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of united sheet-metal sections formed with body portions and contiguous downturned side flanges, and hinge mechanism for su )portin one side of the door secured to the anges thereof, in combination with extensions of said body portions at the opposite side of said door beyond the free ends of said side flanges and a longitudinal cleat secured to the under sides of said extensions to form a bearin -surface.

9. A structural valve door for dum ingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of s setmetal sections respectively having body portions and downturned side flanges, anglebars disposed along the ends of said sections and inwardly-bent tabs on said flanges secured to said anglebars, in combination with hinge mechanism secured to said sections along one side of the door with its pivotal axis transverse to said side flanges, and means for removably supporting the opposite side of said door.

10. A structural valve-door for dum ingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of s ieetmetal sections, respectively having body portions and downwardly-bent side flanges, an angle-bar disposed along the hinge ends of said sections and inwardly-bent trains on said flanges secured to said bar, in combination with extensions of said body portions at the opposite ends thereof beyond their side flanges and an angle-bar having a flange adjacent to said extensions and another flange secured to the ends of said side flan es.

11. A structural valve-door for umpingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of united sheet metal sections respectively having body portions and downturned side flanges, the ends of said flanges being bent inwardly to form tabs, and the said body portion being extended beyond said tabs, in combination with a Z-bar having its intermediate flange or web secured to said tabs with its two flanges respectively adjacent said extended body portions and the lower edges of said side flanges.

12. A structural valve-door for dumpingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of united sheet metal sections respectivel having body portions and downwardlyant side flanges, auxiliary side flanges on said side flanges and inwardly-bent tabs formed on the ends of said flan es, the said body portions being extends beyond said tabs, in combination with a Z-bar having its web secured to said tabs and with its two flanges disposed respectively adjacent to said extended body portions and said auxiliary side flanges.

13. A structural valve-door for dum ing' receptacles, comprising a plurality of s setmctal sections havin downturned side flanges provided with hinge-pin apertures, hinge members respectively engaging in said a crtures, and means for supporting said hinge members from the receptacle.

14. A structural valve-door for dum ingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of s reetmetal sections having bod portions and contiguous downturned side anges, and a longitudinal eleat secured to and uniting the ends of said sections, in combination with supporting hinge links pivoted respectively to said flanges and the receptacle on opposite sides of said eleat, and means for supporting the free ends of said sections.

15. A structural valve-door for dum ingreceptacles, comprising a plurality of s setmetal sections aving body portions and downturned side flanges, a lon itudinal cleat secured to and unitin the on s of said sections and so dispose with respect to said united sections as to engage with the suppprtin hinge-links, in combination with said ungecleat and ivotally connected with said side flanges and the receptacle respectively on opposite sides of said cleat.

16. A structural valve-door for dumpingreceptacles, comprised of a plurality of con tiguous sheetmetal sections havin downturned side flan es of less length t an the body portions of said sections, in combination with angle-bars secured to the opposite ends of said side flanges and binge mechanism eonnected with said flanges for supporting the door from the receptacle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to the specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MARSTON GOODWIN.

'Witnesses:

H. G. KIMBALL, E. W. Goonwm inks disposed normally beneath said 

